Lock for freight-car doors



(M a '1. W G. J. BURLEY & A. F.-MeGLASHAN.

LOGK FOR FREIGHT GAR DOORS.

110440.934. PetentedApnZfI, 1886.

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g L i Witnesses: I I Inventors MM% ys e v w w s A e 'w flttorney.

NrTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE .T. BURLEY AN D ANDRE\V F. MOGLASHAN, OF BUFFALO, NEYV YORK.

LOOK FOR FREIGHT-CAR DOORS.

SPEGIFICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 340,934, dated April 27, 1886,

Application filed June 3, 1885. Serial No. 167,538, (Model) To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, GEORGE J. BURLEY and ANDREW F. MOGLASHAN, both citizens of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Looks for Freight-Car Doors; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in locks for freight-car doors; and it consists,substantially, in the combination, with a slotted hasp and staple, of a clip or bolt pivoted either to the car or to the staple, such clip being adapted to automatically engage with the hasp, the clip itself being of a peculiar construction,which we will more fully hereinafter describe and claim. In the drawings, Figure 1 shows a freightcar door with our improved lock attached. Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevation of the lock. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a modified form of lock, and Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views.

Referring to the drawings, a is the freightcar door, of usual construction, and a is the frame in which the door is operated.

b is the hasp, secured rigidly to the door a by bolts 12 b. In the hasp is the elongated slot b 0 is a staple secured vertically in the doorframe a,with an elongated slot, 0, substantially as shown in Fig. 5. The staple, as shown in the drawings, passes through the door-frame and is secured on the inside by the nut 0 d is the improved clip, which is to be either pivoted directly to the door-frame or door or to the staple. In Fig. 2 it is shown pivoted to a pin, 6, passing through the door-frame and bolted upon the inside. A loose collar, 6, holds the clip upon the pin 6 in a position for accurate engagement with the hasp.

In Figs. 4 and 5 the clip is shown pivoted between the lugs c 0 upon the upper surface of the staple, the lugs and staple being preferably integral.

The clip d is preferably of a segmental form upon its faces, and in cross-section it may be made thicker along the top portion, as shown in Fig. 6, to increase its dropping force, although this construction is not entirely essential.

At the forward top angle of the clip is the lip d, for disengaging the clip from the hasp. The top orifice, d, is for the reception of the railroad seal, and the lower orifice, d, for the Government seal when required. Just below the lip d is the notch 01*, which engages with the end of the hasp and holds the clip in position in the hasp, thus preventing the door from being accidentally orintentionally opened without removing the clip from the hasp. In place of this notch dflany suitable lug or projection might be employed with the same ef-' feet; but the notch shown is preferably the most effective construction.

d are supplemental notches, which permit the clip to be held, as just described, in different positions, in order to allow for different positions of the door in its frame-as, for instance, such door might become swelled from moisture, in which event the first notch could not be utilized, while the second or third might. This construction thus provides for a perfect adjustmentof the door under all reasonable circumstances.

The operation of our improved lock is substantially as follows: Then the door is open, the clip d rests against the staple c. The door being pushed to a closed position, the hasp b enters the staple 0, throwing up the clip as it passes into position, the rear edge of the clip resting against the end of the hasp until such hasp is in its final position, when the clip (Z will fall into the slot 1) of the hasp b and there rest, as fully hereinbefore described.

To unlock the door the clip is swung upward into a substantially-vertical position, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, the shoulder d holding it in such position. In closing thedoor while the clip is resting lightly in its upright position, the slightest jar of the door against its frame will cause the clip to again fall into its IOO position in the hasp, so that in either event, whether the clip is up or down, the locking action is entirely automatic.

Under some circumstances it is desirable to so arrange the clip that it will notstand in an upright position. This is effected by placing the lug (2 upon the clip in place of the shoulder (2, such lug effectually accomplishing the object desired.

It is apparent that the hasp mightbe secu red to the body of the car and the staple and clip to the door without departing from our invention; but we prefer the arrangement herein shown and described.

After the clip isin engagement with the hasp, the seals, one or both, if they are to be used,

' are to be seen red in their respective orifices.

It is apparent that our improved lock is equally applicable to all kinds of sliding doorssuch, for instance, as stable, warehouse, and other doors.

lVe are aware that a swinging gate has been constructed with a vertical stapleon the gatepost and a segmentshaped clip pivoted to the gate; but in such construction a weighted and rearwardly-extending lever-arm is formed integrally with said clip, whose ofiice it is to project the clip forward, both when the gate is openand closed, horizontally beyond the front bar of the gate and beyond and across the point ofjnncture of the gate and gate-post, so that, when the gate swings to, the side face of the projecting clip strikes against the gatepost and prevents the automatic closure of the gate, it being necessary to raise the weighted rear end of the lever-arm to retract said clip every time it is desired to either close and lock or unlock and open the gate. Such a construction and arrangement of parts we do not claim. By our improved device we entirely dispense with and avoid the necessity of employing any lever or other clipactuating device, our clip being entirely automatic in its action upon the door sliding shut, whereby it is especially adapted for use in connection with sliding doors.

We are also aware that a swinging gate has been provided with a segmental clip pivoted to a plate or arm attached to the gate-post, so as to extend outward and transversely therefrom, and with a latch having a rearwardly and upwardly extendinglatch-operating lever pivoted to the gate. Ve are also aware that it is not broadly new to provide a sliding cardoor with a vertically-slotted hasp, but we do not claim either of such arrangements or either element thereof, broadly.

WVe claim 1. An automatic lock or fastening for freightcar doors, Ste, consisting of ahasp slotted vertically, a staple arranged vertically, and apivoted notched clip arranged to operate in conjunction with the vertical slot of the hasp, all combined substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination, with the slotted hasp b b and staple c, of the pivoted segmental clip (1, provided with the lip d and notch (1 substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination, with the slotted haspb b and staple 0, of the pivoted segmental clip (2, provided with the lip d, notch d, and supplemental notches d, substantially as shown and described.

4E. The combination, with the slotted hasp b b and staple c, of the pivoted segmental clip d, provided with the lip d, notches (1* and cl", and shoulder d, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE J. BURLEY. ANDRE? F. MOGLASHAN.

Witnesses:

JOHN K. BROWN, W'. T. MILLER, 

